Graded index plastic optical fiber (GI-POF) offers promise as a high bandwidth communication medium. The ability to create a desired index of refraction profile in a plastic optical fiber
Methods of manufacture of this material have been proposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,593,621, and 5,523,660, EP 130838, EP 2682969, JP1-265208, JP3-65904, JP3-64704, and WO87/01071, and Polymer Journal, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp 310–313 (1995). These manufacturing methods, however, suffer from various drawbacks. For example, some methods require the initial production of a graded index preform and subsequent drawing of fiber from the preform, resulting in a low efficiency of production. Other methods rely on a non-uniform radial distribution of a low molecular weight additive in the fiber and, due to the high concentrations by weight of additives which lower the glass transition temperatures of the fiber, can result in fiber which does not meet the thermal stability requirements for certain applications.